CHRIS Hughton has earned plenty of praise from supporters for the way in which he has got Blues playing.

But the manager admitted he would tailor his tactics to suit the required need.

And if that meant tightening things up, or altering the shape of his side in a game, then he would do so.

In the main, Hughton has gone with a 4-4-2 this season, incorporating players providing genuine width.

The St Andrew’s faithful have been enjoying the attacking slant, in the Championship and the Europa League.

“I am still open to playing a tactical game that tries to get you a result,” said Hughton. “That’s in the formation you set yourself up in.

“But generally it’s about winning games and how you win games.

“My preferred formation is 4-4-2 or a form of 4-4-2, 4-4-1-1, with one playing a little bit more off the front, because I think that gives you a little bit more in the opposition half, it allows you to keep the ball more in their half.

“But I am open to change. Certainly what I want to do is play as much as possible a passing game, look to what your strengths are.

“Sometimes you have to adapt and change.

“People at this club would know that when you have got Nikola Zigic in the squad and on the pitch, it changes a little bit the way you play.

“And it has to because Nikola’s strengths are that he’s a big man and you have to get the ball up to him. And generally if you’re playing everything up to his feet at the edge of the box, then centre-halves marking him would be delighted with that one. So it’s about changing. Generally I want to play a passing game, but you have to be very open-minded.

“You can look at different philosophies and I think it’s about playing to the strengths of what you have got.”

Hughton, when Blues’ strikers recovered their fitness after injury, bedded down a 4-4-2 at the end of August.

But there have also been instances of Wade Elliott playing just off the front.

And at Bristol City when the hosts put increasing pressure on trying to equalise, Hughton changed from 4-4-2 to a 4-5-1, taking off Chris Wood and Marlon King, and sending on David Murphy and Zigic.

Jean Beausejour was tucked just behind Zigic as Hughton wanted more control of the midfield.

That said, Blues have been easy on the eye this campaign and Hughton has admitted he wasn’t one for parking the bus.

“There can be a philosophy of going away from home and trying to get what you can, trying to sit behind the ball and making yourself difficult to beat.

“But you can’t defend for 90 minutes, if you try to then the likelihood is that you will lose. You have to be a threat yourselves and do enough to try and win games.

“What I want to try and do is get an energy in the side, and it can change.

“At this moment we’re playing Jean Beausejour and Chris Burke.

“Jean’s a slightly different type of player, but when you have got Chris in the team, you have got to get the ball to him. When you have got Nathan Redmond in the team, you have got to get the ball to him.

“I think it’s because we have generally used two wingers or one winger, that you are going to play a little bit more of an offensive, open game.

“If you have got wingers you want them to get crosses in and ultimately that’s what supporters want to see.

“But it doesn’t always win you games and you have got to play the way as much as you can that will win you games, adapt when necessary.”